Tightening device for cables, chains and the like elongated flexible elements



Nov. 6, 1962 2. PELLETIER 3,062,502

TIGHTENING DEVICE FOR CABLES, CHAINS AND THE LIKE ELONGATED FLEXIBLE ELEMENTS Filed Dec. 9, 1960 3,062,502 TIGHTENING DEVICE FOR CABLES, CHAINS AND THE LIKE ELONGATED FLEXIBLE ELEMENTS Zephirin Pelletier, 62 Prospect Ave., Apt. 7, Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada Filed Dec. 9, 1960, Ser. No. 75,015 8 Claims. (Cl. 254-51) The present invention relates to a tool or an attachment to be used in combination with a jack for tightening or shortening the effective length of cables, chains, and other tension elements which are elongated and flexible.

An important object of the present invention resides in the provision of a tightening device which can effect a considerable force for shortening the effective length of a cable, chain, or the like, and which is useful in a numof applications, such as for example, in automobile body work, where chains or cables are used for straightening bent or damaged elements.

Another important object of the present invention resides in the provision of a device of the character described which is in the form of an attachment to be secured to a jack, and more particularly to a hydraulic jack of conventional construction, such as those used in garages, the combination of the attachment and jack forming an inexpensive and very effective tool for its intended applications.

Yet another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a tool of the character described which can be applied to a cable to tighten the same without having access to the ends of the cable.

The foregoing and other important objects of the present invention will become more apparent during the following disclosure and by referring to the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the tightening device of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross section of the upper part of the embodiment of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a section along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate like elements throughout, the tightening device of the present invention consists essentially in the combination of a jack of conventional construction such as the hydraulic jack generally indicated at A, with a cable guiding and engaging member B having the general shape of a hook for receiving and tightening a cable C or a chain or other elongated flexible tension element.

The hydraulic jack A can be of any conventional construction and those used in garages normally include a cylinder 1 vertically mounted on a base 2 and having an externally threaded upper end 3. By actuating lever 4, the telescopic piston rods 5 and 6 move outwardly of the threaded end 3 of cylinder 4 to take a projecting position.

The cable guiding member B in accordance with the present invention consists of a tubular lower part 7 which is internally threaded for threading engagement with threaded end 3 of cylinder 1 of the hydraulic jack A. Part 7 is integral with and supports a hook-like part 8 having a generally U-shaped cross section, the opening of which faces laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the jack A. Hook 8 has a substantial width and its generatrix is a straight line.

The hook 8 consists of a lower leg 9 and of an upper leg 10 interconnected by curved connecting part 11. The lower leg 9 is integral with the tubular part 7 and has a nited States Patent Q hole 12 in communication with part 7 for the passage of the piston rods 5 and 6. The upper leg 10 is provided with an elongated slot 13 aligned with hole 12 for the free passage of the piston rod 6 through the central part of slot 13 so as to leave a free space in the slot on each side of rod 6.

The inner faces at the two ends of slot 13 are convex, as indicated at 14.

The internal face of the upper leg 10 is inclined downwardly as indicated at 15 in the direction of the lateral opening 16 of hook 8. The free edge of upper leg 10 forms a downwardly projecting lip 17 of rounded crosssection.

The free spaces in slot 13 on each side of the piston rod 16 make sufiicient space for the passage of cable C which is curved such as to form an inverted U under engagement with extended piston rod 6, as shown in FIG- URE 2. The upper end of piston rod 6 is preferably provided with a groove 18, as shown in section in FIG- URE 3 for retaining the cable on top of the piston rod 6.

In practice, one end of the cable is attached to the element on which a pulling force is to be exerted while the other end of the cable is anchored or-the two ends of the cable are attached to two spaced points of the said element. The intermediate portion of the cable is inserted through the lateral opening 16 and is made to abut the bottom of hook 8 against connecting part 11 of the hook. In this position, the cable is in register with slot 13. It should be noted that the cable even when taut can be freely inserted into hook 8. The hydraulic jack A is thereafter operated such that piston rod 6 moves outwardly of hole 12 and engages the cable in the zone of the latter in the center of slot 13, the cable is thus pushed through the slot 13 while sliding on convex faces 14 to take a U-shape as shown in FIGURE 2. It is to be noted that the cable will be effectively shortened an amount equal to twice the length of the stroke of the piston rod 6.

By utilizing a hydraulic jack or jacks of other types it is clear that the tightening force exerted on the cable can be very large. The tightening device of the present invention can therefore be utilized in all applications where it is required to tighten or shorten a cable, a chain, or the like, and more particularly in connection with body work automobile frame straightening and other similar works.

The tubular element 7 is not essential and any other means for securing the hook 8 to a hydraulic jack or other types of jacks can be utilized provided the hook 8 is secured to the body of the jack.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGURE 4, wherein hook 8 is secured to the cylinder 12 of a hydraulic jack which receives hydraulic fluid under pressure by means of tube 21 connected to a hydraulic pump 22 actuated by lever 23. The hook 8 is devoid of any tubular element 7 and is directly secured to the end of cylinder 20 and the piston rod 24 of piston 25 of cylin der 20 is adapted to pass through hole 12' and slot 13 of the hook 8' in order to push the cable C in a manner identical to the embodiment of FIGURES l, 2 and 3.

While preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention have been illustrated and described, it is understood that various modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A tightening device for cables, chains, and similar elongated flexible elements, comprising, in combination, a jack having a casing and a rod movable axially outwardly from one end of said casing, a guiding member having the cross-sectional shape of a hook having two spaced legs defining a lateral opening therebetween, one of said legs being secured to said casing end and having a hole in register with said rod for its free passage, the other one of said legs having an elongated slot having its center portion in register with said rod for leaving a free space on. eachv side of the rod when disposed within said slot, each said space being sufiicient for the passage of a cable or other elongated flexible similar element, whereby said element can be inserted through said lateral opening between said two legs, engaged by said rodand pushed through said elongated slot to form a U-shaped loop.

2. A cable tightening device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the internal terminal edges of said elongated slot define convex surfaces for facilitating sliding of the cable thereon.

3. A cable tightening device as claimedin claim 1, wherein the casing of. said jack h-as external threads and said guiding member has internal threads in threaded engagement with the threads of said casing.

4. A cable tightening device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said casing has external threads at the end thereof from which said rod extends and said hole of said guiding member is inwardly threaded to. be screwed onto said casing.

5. A tightening device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said jack is a hydraulic jack, and said rod is the rod of the piston of said jack.

6. A tightening device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer end of said rod is grooved to receive said cable.

7. A tightening device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the internal face of the leg having said elongated slot is inwardly inclined towards the other leg in the direction of said lateral opening.

8. As an attachment for a jack having a casing and an axially and outwardly movable piston rod protruding from one end of said casing, said attachment consisting of a one piece member having the cross-sectional shape of a hook with two spaced legs defining a lateral opening therebetween, one of said legs provided with means to secure said member to said one end of said casing and having a hole adapted to registerwith said piston rod for its free passage, the other one of said legs having an elongated slot having its center portion adapted to register with said rod for leaving a free passage on each side of the piston rod when disposed within said slot, each said space being just sufiicient for the passage of a cable or other elongated flexible similar element, whereby said element can be inserted through said lateral opening between said two legs, engaged by said piston rod and pushed through said elongated slot to form a U-shaped loop.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,957,367 Suydam May 1, 1934 2,049,074 Mott July 28, 1936 2,341,278 Long Feb. 8, 1944 2,344,052 Neale Mar. 14, 1944 2,382,266 Simonsen Aug. 14, 1945 2,955,639 Brown Oct. 11, 1961) 

